Electrical regulating device.



G. HONOLD. I EKECTRICAL REGULATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 13. 19l3;

Patented Apr. 3,1917.

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1,221,327. Patented Apr. 3,1917.

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G. HONOLD.

ELECTRICAL REGULATING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-13.1913.

Patented Apr. 3, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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eorrnon nononn, or .STUT'IGART, GERMANY, AssiGNoR TO THE rrmvror RoBERT BOSCH, or STUTTGART, GERMANY. v

ELECTRICAL REGULATIN G DEVICE.

Application filed November 13, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that. I, GOTTLOB HONOLD, engineer, a subject of the German Emperor, residing at Stuttgart 4l8 Militarstrasse, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Regulating Devices, and do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to electric circuit regulators of the type comprising a container holding a mass of finely divided resistance material, such as carbon, which is subjected to the variable pressure of a pressure member responsive to the magnetism of an electromagnet;

In regulators of this character adapted for electric circuits carrying considerable currents, the cross sectional area of the mass of finely divided material must be comparatively large to avoid overheating the mass. hen the area of the mass is large, the particles forming the exposed surface layer are apt to become deranged, by being heaped up at one or more places and forming depressions at other places, thereby forming an irregular surface. As a result the pressure of the pressure member will not be uniform throughout the mass, and, of course, the re sistance offered by the mass to the passage of the current will not be uniform, whereby the effectiveness of the regulator will be lessened.

The object of this invention is to provide a regulator of this type in which the formation of an irregular surface of the mass of finely divided material is prevented. This object may beaccomplished in several ways in accordance with my invention, as by so constructing the device that the surface layer of the mass is exposed to the atmosphere. thereby preventing due to suction caused by the upward movement of the pressure member; or by dividing the mass into a plurality of columns of such small cross section that there can be no material irregularity of the surface of the mass;

or by so guiding the pressure member during movement that its contacting surface will at all times be maintained parallel with the surface layer of the mass; or by combining these separate means.

Specification of Letters Patent.

shifting of the material Patented Apr. 3, 1917."

Serial No. scones.

In the accompanying drawings, in which are shown several embodiments'of the inven tion, and in which the same reference character refers to a similar part throughout the several figures,

Figure l is a sectional view of one form of my regulator;

Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. 1 showing another form thereof;

Fig. 3 is a view partly in plan and partly in section of the regulator shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Figs. 3 and 4 showing another form of regulator;

Fig. 5 is a similar view of; still another form;

Figs. 6 and 7 are detail plan views of parts of the regulator shown in Fig. 5

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of a modified form of pressure member;

Fig. 9 is a plan view thereof;

Fig. 10 is a sectional view of another form of regulator in which the mass of finely divided resistance material is divided into a plurality of columns by partitions within the container;

Figs. l1, l2 and 13 illustrate various ways in which the partitions may be formed;

Fig. 14 is a sectional View of a regulator in which the pressure member is maintained parallel with the surface layer of the resistance mass; and

Fig. 15 is a similar view form thereof.

Th suction caused in prior types of regulators of this kind by the movement of the pressuremember away from the exposed surface of the resistance mass, and the curshowing another The pressure member a of that figure is provided with a plurality of perforations or passages extending.therethrough and also with longitudinal passages open to the at mosphere and communicating with the surface layer by a plurality of perforations. These passages permit the atmospheric air to have access to the surface layer of the mass it at a plurality of points over the area covered by the pressure member a and, consequently, when the pressure member is raised, no suction is produced and, therefore, there is 'no air current tending to shift the material to produce an uneven surface. Referring to Flg. 2, a similar result 15 pro- "duced by providing the container with a plurality of insulating tubes open attheir lower ends to the atmosphereand with their upper ends substantially flush with the exposed surfaceof the mass it. In this form of regulator, the pressure member a need not be perforated assuction is prevented by air flowing into the container through the tubes f which are coarser I the rest of the mass jthe layer or spherical form and permit the air to pass v I a to make 1 gauze f from being around its I rings. 71 which form alining for the con the pressure member comprises 35 1 of the body portion a being preferably of metal.

whenthe pressure member is raised, but recesseslare provided in PI'QSSUPGHHQmbGI' as shown, theltubes.

Referring to Fig. 1, the surface of the mass his exposed to the atmosphere by placing-between that surface and the pressure member, one or more layers Z of a conducting material, such as carbon, the grains of than the grains forming to accommodate layers 1, are preferably of between them, thus-preventing suction when member rises. In this construc tion, it is unnecessary to provide the pressure member with perforations or recesses, and a plate is preferably of carbon may, if desired, be fastened to the pressure member material.

Referring to Figs. 5, 6 and 7, the pressure aperforated plate 0 securedto and spaced from the under surface by bolts d, the plate The lower surcovered by wire gauze face'of the plate c is of small mesh, which 1s secured to the tainer c. a 1

In the modificationof the pressure meme ber shown in Figs. 8-and 9, the gauze fis secured directly, to the under surface of the body portiona and prevents the carbon grains from passing through the perforations extending through the body portion a.

In each of the modifications of the regulator thus far described, it will-be seen that substantially the entire upper surface of the mass of finely divided material is exposed to; the atmosphere. Therefore, the movement of the pressure memberaway from the mass does not produce suction, and, consequently, there is no tendency for the mate the underside of the h. The grains forming better contact with the resistancesuitable manner as by means of pressure member.

rial forming the surface layer to become deranged.

Referring to Fig. 10, the container 0 is provided with partitions p of insulating material which divide the mass of-resistance material into a plurality of columns 9 of small cross section. The cross sectional area of these columns is so small that, when the pressure member a. rises the surface of the mass will be disturbed but slightly, if at all, thereby preventing any objectionable shift ing of the material.

The partitions p may ous ways, as shown, for example,

be arranged in variin Figs.

'11, 12 and 13.

Fig. 14 shows an electromagnet at having the form of a pot magnet and having a shaft 0 carrying a pressure member a. The upper end of the shaft is secured to a steel membrane 8 which is clamped at its periphery by the cover 25 and the pressure member a. has secured thereto an annular strip 6 of pliable fabric clamped at its periphery between the insulating ring 71 and a shoulder on the container 0. The strip 79 and'the membrane .9 form guiding means for insuring that the pressure member during its 'movements will be maintained parallel with the surface layer of the mass.

Fig. 15 shows a pressure member made up of the perforated body portion wand the gauze f and the spring system u, a and o. The electromagnet m, shown as a pot magnet, has a shaft 0 which carries the pressure member and which passes through a central bore of larger diameter in the magnet. The spring a, which is clamped at its periphery by the cover 15, is provided with a tongue a" secured at its inner end to a ring w mounted with slight play upon a pin a on the upper end of the shaft 0. A closed yoke spring a is also secured to the ring to and is provided with an adjustable tensioning device as shown. The tongue to is tensioned on one side and is of such length that the tilting action resulting from the circular movement of its free end practically disappears, as a result of the slight movement of the pressure member. The strip b is sufficiently loose to permit the small up and down movements of the pressure member, and any tendency of the pressure member to assume an" inclined position is prevented by the springs 14 and '0, which, however,'do not prevent the substantially frictionlessmovement of the The strip 7) and the tongue a form guidingymeans producing movements of. the pressure member of substantial parallel translation. By providing communication between the atmosphere and the exposed surface of the resistance mass h, and also providing such guiding means for the pressure member, there is produced an effective regulating device for electric circuits carrying considerable currents.

u of the resistance material sponsive pressure 1913, which is directed among other things to parallel guiding means for the pressure member.

Having thus I claim is:

1. In a regulator for electric circuits, a container, a mass of finely divided resistance material therein, and a magnetically-respom, sive pressure member effective on the mass to vary the resistance thereof, said regulator being provided with ventilating means communicatingwith the resistance material for maintaining a uniform surface distribution during the movement of said pressure member.

2. In a regulator for electric circuits, a container, a mass of finely-divided resistance material therein,

described my invention, what vided with ventilating means preventing suction on the exposed surface of the resistance mass upon movement of said pressure member away therefrom. In a regulator for electric circuits, a mass of finely divided resistance material, a container therefor, and a magnetically-responsive pressure member efi'ective on the mass to vary the resistance thereof, the sur face of said mass which lies beneath said pressure member being exposed to the atmosphere.

4. In a regulator for electric circuits, a mass of finely divided resistance material, a container therefor, and a magnetically-remember efl'ective on the mass to vary the resistance thereof, the surface of said mass which lies beneath said pressure member being exposed to the atmosphere at a plurality of points.

5. In a regulator for electric circuits, a mass of finely divided resistance material, a container therefor, sponsive pressure member effective on the mass to vary the resistance thereof, said pressure member providing communication be- ,Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the container therefor,

and a magnetically-responv sive pressure member effective on the mass signature, and a magnetically-re tween the surface of said mass and the atmosphere.

6. In aregulator for electric circuits, a

mass of finely divided resistance material, a

and a magnetically-responsive pressure member effective on the mass to vary the resistance thereof, sald pressure member being provided with a plurality of perforations to expose the surface of said mass to the atmosphere at a plu rality of points.

In a regulator for electric circuits, a mass of finely divided resistance material, a container therefor, and a magnetically-responsive pressure member efl ective on the mass to vary the resistance thereof, said pressure member providing communication between the atmosphere, and gauze on the contacting surface of the pressure member.

18 surface of said mass and the 8. In a regulator for electric circuits, a i to vary the resistance thereof and being pro-s. eontainer, a mass of finely divided resistance pressure member effective on the massto vary the resistance means for maintaining a uniform surface distribution of the resistance material during movement of said guiding means producing movements of the pressure member of. substantial parallel translation.

9. In a regulator for electric circuits, a container, a mass of finely divided resistance material therein, a magnetically-responsive pressure member effective on "the massto vary the resistance thereof and being provided with ventilating means preventing suction on the exposed surface ofthe -resistance mass upon movement of saidpressure member away therefrom, and guiding means. producing movements of the pressure mem ber of substantial parallel translation.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my in presence of two .Witn' es.

GOTTLOB HON OLD.

Witnesses PAUL WOLFART, REINHOLD ELWERT.

thereof, ventilating Washington, D. 0."

pressure member, and 

